Electromagnetic pumping apparatus



Aug- 19, 1941- F. R. FARRow, JR., ETAL 2,253,206

ELECTROMAGNETIC UMPING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2o, 1938 :inventors Email/62mm@ fw. @alam Q Lttorneg 'ciated with the pumping element.

Patented Aug.,19, 1941 EIECTROMAGNETIC PUMPING APPARATUS Frederick R. Farrow, Jr., Audubon, and Edgar B. Nichols, Moorestown, N. J., assignors to Nichols Products Company, Moorestown, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 20, 1938, Serial No. 225,886

lOlaim.

This invention relates to electromagnetic pumping apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for pumping gaseous uids from a suit- 'able source to a'n analyzing instrument.

' netic impulses to force the gas from a suitable inlet, through the pump, and out through a suitable outlet, the passage of the gas through the pump being controlled by valve structure asso- In most pumps of this type, as heretofore constructed, the valves are mounted on the pumping element itself, and this presents certain disadvantages from a practical standpoint.

The primary object of our invention is to provide an improved pump of the type set forth which will be free from disadvantages characteristic of prior art pumps.

More particularly, it is an object of our invenvtion to provide an improved pump as aforesaid which will have along life and will be free from leakage.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved pump which may be atively high speed.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an improved pump as aforesaid in which the valves will operate in accurate synchronlsm with the reciprocating pumping member.

A further object of our invention is -toprovide an improved pump of the type described in which the driving force may be readily adjusted.

Still a further object of our invention is to provide improved valve structure for pumps of the type under consideration.

Another object of our invention is to provide, in a pump of the type described, a pumping member .which is self-restoring so as not to require extraneous means for restoring this member when the motive power is removed.

It is also an object of our invention to provide an improved pump which is quiet in opera-tion, which is highly emcient in operation, and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

In accordance with our invention, we provide a pump with a valve plate in spaced relation to a thin membranous pumping member, preferably of stainless stel, the pumping member being held against the valve plate by a clamping ring. The valve plate is provided with a pair of spaced ports with each of which is associated a valve comprising a thin strip of mica one end operated at relend of which extends over and covers the asso-V ciated port, a phosphor bronze spring bearing against the valves to hold them in port closed position. The pumping member has vsecured thereto a soft iron pole piece, and the clamping ring carries a .bridge on which is adjustably mounted an electromagnet which, when energized by alternating current, serves to attract the pole piece with the frequency of the alternations to vibrateI the pumping member correspondingly and thereby draw in the fluid through the inlet port and force it out of the exhaust port to suitable analyzing apparatus or the like. A bracket carried by the clamping ring has a set screw threaded therein for determining `the position of the electromagnet on the bridge. Moreover, the membranous pumping member is either cupped away from the electromagnet or is stiffened at its Ycenter by the addition of a suitable stiffening washer so that it will be constantly biased to assume a position away from the electromagnetic actuating means.

'I'he novel features that we consider characterIstic of our invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself,however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of pump according to my invention,

the line II-II of Fig. l, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of driving member.

. Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, we have shown a valve plate I provided with an inlet port l and an outlet port 5, both of which extend there'- through. The valve plate I is provided with a flange 'I between which and a clamping ring I, a thin membranous pumping member II is clamped, a pair of gaskets I3 being disposed on each side of the pumping member I I between the flange 'I and clamping member l, and a plurality of screws I5 preferably holding the parts in assembled relation. The pumping member II is preferably cupped away from the valve plate I for a purpose presently to be set forth.

Fixed at one end thereof to the inner surface of the valve plate I is a valve I1 formed of a thin of which is fixed to the valve plate and the other strip of mica, silk or the like, having its free end extending over the inlet port l. a phosphor bronze spring II constantly tending to hold the valve I1 in closed position over the port 3. A similar valve II is ilxed at one of its ends to the outer surface of the valve plate I and is arranged to cover the outlet port l under the influence of a phosphor bronze spring 23. When the valve I1 is in open position, gas or other. huid may be drawn into the collecting chamber 25 through an inlet tube 21, and when the valve 2I is opened, the gas or fluid may be forced through the port into anexpansion chamber Il formed by a cup 3| from which an outlet tube I3 extends.

To eliect opening and closing of the valves I1 and Il, which are, of course, oppositely disposed, as will be clearly seen from Fig. 2, we provide the pumping member II with a pole piece 35 which is arranged to be attracted by an electromagnet 31 having a connection to a source of alternating current supply. The electromagnet 31 is adjustably mounted on a bridge 3! formed on thevclamping ring 9, and is secured in adjusted position by means of a screw 4I. The clamping ring I also has secured thereto a bracket in which is threadedly receivedy an adjusting screw 4l against which the' electromagnet 31 may be set. Thus, by loosening the screw 4I, adjusting the set screw I5 and moving the electromagnetic structure 31 upv against the screw the air gap between the pole piece 35 and the electromagnet 31 may be readily adjusted whereby the attractive force between the electromagnet 31 and the amature or pole piece l5 may be pre-set.

Upon passing an alternating current through the coil of theelectromagnet l1, the electromagnet will be energized at the `frequency of the current source.'y 'I'his will correspondingly attract the pumping member II to permit the gas entering the tube 21 under pressure to force open the valve I1 and enter the collecting cham-V open the valve 2i, whereupon the collected gas will be forced through the port 5 and into the expansion chamber 28, after which it will pass out through the tube 3l. The cupped or dished member II not only provides an arrangement for automatically resetting the pumping member to its normal position, but serves also to counteract the D. C. component of the electromagnetic system by reason of its great, inherent restoring force.

In Fig. 3, we have shown the pumping member II provided with a stifl'ening washer 41 on the surface thereof opposite that to which the pole piece Il is secured. This serves to stiilen the pumping member Il centrally and has the same function as dishing or clipping the pumping member.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that we lhave provided a very simple, inexpensive, and efficient electromagnetic pump for feeding fluids from a suitable source to a suitable destination. 'I'he arrangement of the valves in a valve plate separate and part from the diaphragm II itself has the great advantage of making the valves self-cleaning. This is especially valuable where the pump is used for pumping liquids, flue gases, or the like. Although we have shown and described but one embodiment of our invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications thereof and changes therein are possible within the spirit of `our invention. We therefore desire thatour invention shall not be limited except insofar as is made necessary by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claim.

We claim as our invention:

In iluid pumping apparatus, the combination of a valve plate, a membranous pumping member associated with said valve plate in spaced relation thereto and cooperating therewith to provide a fluid collecting chamber, said valve l plate having an inlet port and an outlet port lly urging said strips into position to cover said ports, means providing a fluid expansion chamber associated with said outlet port, and electromagnetic means for actuating said pumping member, said electromagnetic means being adjustable relative to said pumping member.

FREDERICK R. FARROW, JR. EDGAR B. NICHOLS. 

